LITERATURE REVIEW Abstract The value of teaching visual literacy to students is reflected in numerous papers in educational literature reporting an increase in comprehension and critical thinking. Being visually literate is having the ability to interpret images, analyze the elements and values of the message and then apply those principles to produce information. This paper provides an introduction to the subject, instructional strategies for implementation and methods of using technology to support the teaching of visual literacy in the classroom. Introduction In our visual culture, we are being continually bombarded by images, yet our comprehension of the true messages and influences of those images remains rudimentary. The phrase, “a picture is worth a thousand words”, is often used to support the premise that images are invaluable in conveying a message. Teaching students how to read an image, interpret the message and its implications are all elements of learning how to be visually literate (Millum, 2009). The common theme of these articles, as noted by Riesland (2005), is the belief that for students to benefit most from the classroom experience, they must be visually literate. Australia has mandated that visual literacy be included in their curriculum; students need to be conversant in the concepts and language (metalanguage) that helps them communicate regarding images and text (Callow, 2008). As a society, we communicate with images virtually and in actuality. However, at this time, there is little or no classroom instruction for students to understand the messages of pictures or how to communicate effectively in a multimedia framework. A number of instructional strategies, techniques and examples are offered by these authors to integrate visual literacy skills into curriculum including the use of technology as a tool for implementation. Definition and Use Visual literacy is a multi-dimensional field of study and as such, has many definitions and goals. Basically, it is a person’s ability to read and understand images and to use them to communicate effectively; it is a competency that can be learned and developed with training. Being able to decode meaning from pictures is as important as learning to read text. Pictures offer a precise meaning and can be used alone to offer instruction or paired with print for a more complete understanding of a subject (Burns, 2006). Roland Barthes (as cited in Millum, 2009, p. 3), believes that each visual comes with one or more of three messages: linguistic, literal opposed to symbolize and connotation or interpretation. Analyzing images using these guidelines can aid students as they begin to study images and their meaning. Expanding on the sole use of pictures, Gillenwater uses the symbiotic relationship within graphic novels to combat what he terms “print illiteracy” (2009). This format is multimodal, merging text and image to communicate a story and provide a broader learning experience. For the reader to gain a complete understanding of the story, he must merge the two components. This dual coding is suggested to be a better form of teaching reading comprehension to students. For example, a holocaust victim may be visualized differently by each student in a classroom when the book, Night, is read to them, but the photograph of a victim offers definition and clarity. Although many students know how to create multimedia presentations, most have very little training in the use of tools for creating effective images. The use of good design principles in the classroom will awaken students to the power of visual elements in their products. T. Sosa (2009), a college professor of design, includes the proper use of fonts, layout, balance, displays of word art and other images, color use and appropriate spacing in her lessons. Her article also features examples of good versus poor design, visual awareness and in-depth design principles to create a practical resource for teachers. The rubric is devised to give equal weight to specific design requirements and technological skills. Jefferies (2007), a British educator is also involved in the area of design and the use of screen-based mediums. Her goal was to determine if design students were being taught using the most appropriate visual literacy training for their chosen digital medium. She notes that the use of screen based multimedia tools (as opposed to physical tools) are creating the demand for a new visual skill set. These developments will necessitate the formation of diverse teaching methods that are able to meet the needs of both student learning styles and ever changing communication modes. Similarly, training is needed in decoding the meaning behind images and symbols used by advertisers to persuade their audience to change a behavior or buy a product. Chung (2005) has created the “AdDeconstruct Project” to teach students how to analyze (cigarette) ads in terms of their overt and perceived messages. Through writing and dialog meetings, they learn to critically view how they are targeted as consumers. Their final project, using Photoshop, is to redesign the ad and present it to the public. Projects such as these help students learn to ‘read’ what advertisers are saying to them and ask important questions (Riesland). Images used in advertising can also influence teens in how they perceive themselves and construct a basis for their actions. Zambo (2009) maintains that adolescents are vulnerable to inaccurate world views and life experiences as portrayed in images. Her work with students with physical disabilities and the use of visual literacy lessons is designed to encourage them to change their misconceptions. She notes that photographs are “rarely neutral or devoid of social, cultural or political context” and are a key part of a teen’s world (p. 64). Students are led to participate in critical thinking and emotional reflection exercises based on photographs and ad campaigns that are a key part of their world. Technology Integration A number of technologies can be utilized to support the instruction of visual literacy. One of the most accessible and student-friendly technologies available for teaching visual literacy is photography. Both Abrahmov (2008), and Palmquist (2008) teach photography because they believe strongly in its value in society as a social and cultural medium. They did however see a need for educating their students in reading and constructing photos in order to more effectively convey a message. Observations, personal responses and evaluations were an ongoing part of both classes. Palmquist used the ad campaigns (such as Dove’s Real Beauty), photo studies and practical tips for using a camera to engage her students and assess critical thinking skills and understanding. Each class member participated in a display of their photos providing measurable results, demonstrating student improvement and how well the theories of visual literacy were combined with the practical aspects of photography. Trisha Long (2008) created Full Circling, a process to teach history using visual tools. Students are guided through a series of interactions with visuals and then become actively involved by means of their response. Her aim is to have students not only involved intellectually with the subject matter, but also emotionally. Her research has shown that seeing pictures relating to a specific time period or event bring a new dimension to class discussions, encouraging critical thinking and deeper involvement with the lesson. She discovered that as students are invited to become involved with the people they are studying, they will respond with more passion and conviction. This connection will result in more writing and reading on the part of the student. At the end of the study, Long requires a plan of action from the students to convey their understanding and response to ethical conflicts in the lesson. They created diaries, stories, plays, musicals and even a tableau of live actors – all designed to convey what they have internalized from the text and image presented. Visual tools used with various technologies have been a successful component in Flannery’s (2006) experience teaching biology students. In her article, she divides the available resources for biology teachers into a low-tech or high-tech category. Blogs, digital pictures and video streaming are examples of high-tech tools that are readily available online. For example, teachers can present lessons on genetics using graphics, 2-D and 3-D representations or even a visual environment demonstrating features that words alone could not explain. Low-tech aids can include tables, graphs or charts which still have a valuable place in portraying information. Because the brain stores information in an organized framework consisting of relationships, it is easy to understand and remember maps, timelines and charts (Svinicki as cited in Flannery, p. 301, 2006). One important visual aid that is frequently overlooked as being too simplistic is the tree. When the meaning of the lines and connections is explained, it can be a powerful tool for both teachers and students. Flannery concludes that each visual device has a place in learning and can be used effectively to facilitate student comprehension. Another exciting technology to use with students is film. In this case, it is the presentation of movies used to engage students in meaningful dialog and encourage them to interact with relevant current issues. In his book, Teaching Social Issues with Film (2009), Dr. William Russell created a practical tool utilizing movies to address social issues. The films and subjects are geared toward Social Studies’ classes, but many could be effectively used in a number of other classes. Using the Russell Model for Film, a teacher will benefit from the questions and suggestions it offers to guide students through a film viewing. The book provides a detailed list of 180 films categorized within 30 different social subjects. A brief synopsis of the film is given and the topic is defined. Film used as the visual starting point of discussion can be instructionally beneficial in many areas: students become wise consumers of media, critical thinking is learned and internalized, proficiency in communication skills increases and students learn how to analyze any image or message. Conclusion In the educational arena, textbooks, software and multimedia presentations for students are utilizing more visual elements than ever. Strategies and techniques are available to teachers desiring to incorporate visual literacy into their curriculum. This literature concludes that visual literacy is a skill that encourages critical, analytical thinking as well as improved ability in creating and communicating messages, both visual and written. It supports a model of visual literacy comprised of multiple dimensions, each being a field of research within itself, and each contributing to the individual’s global ability to interpret images accurately. Educators will enhance their communication with students by becoming more proficient in using available technologies for visual instruction that recognizes these principles of visual literacy. Likewise, students themselves will learn more efficiently as they also become proficient in reading visual images embedded in instructional materials and communicating through multimedia tools. References Abrahmov, S., & Ronen, M. (2008). Double blending: online theory with on-campus practice in photography instruction. Innovations in Education and Teaching International, 45(1), 3-14. Retrieved from Research Library. (Document ID: 1480083451). Avgerinou, M. (2009). Re-viewing visual literacy in the “bain d’ images” era. TechTrends, (53), 2, 28-34. Retrieved from Ebsco Host. Burns, M. (2006). A Thousand Words: Promoting Teachers’ Visual Literacy Skills. MultiMedia & Internet Schools, 13(1), 16-20. Retrieved from Ebsco Host. Callow, J. (2008). Show me: principles for assessing students’ visual literacy. The Reading Teacher, 61 . (8), 616-620, 622-626. Retrieved from Research Library. (Document ID: 1474543421). Chung, S.K. (2005). Media/Visual Literacy Art Education: Cigarette Ad Deconstruction. Art Education. 58(3). 19-25. Retrieved from ProQuest database. DeAbreu, B. (2008). Seventh grade students and the visual messages they love. Knowledge Quest. (36)3, 34-39. Farmer, L.. (2007). I see, I do, persuasive messages and visual literacy. Multimedia & Internet@Schools. 14(4), 30-33. Flannery, M. (2006). Thinking in pictures. American Biology Teacher. 68(5), 299-303. Gillenwater, C., (2009). Lost literacy: how graphic novels can recover visual literacy in the literacy classroom. Afterimage, 37(2), 33-36. Retrieved from Academic Search Complete. Jeffries, E. (2007). Devising a method for improving design education of digital visual skills. Journal of Visual Literacy, (27)1. 123-138. Long, T., (2008). The full circling process: Leaping into the ethics of history using critical visual literacy and arts-based activism. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 51(60), 498-508. Retrieved from Research Library. (Document ID: 1442013881). Millum, T. (2009) Making sense of pictures: a beginner’s guide to teaching visual images. English Drama Media 14, 37-42. Palmquist, N. (2008). Creating images to understand visual literacy. Knowledge Quest. 36(3), 20-23. Riesland, E. (2005). Visual literacy and the classroom. New Horizons for Learning, Spring, 2005. Retrieved from: http://www.newhorizons.org/strategies/literacy/riesland.htm Russell, W. B. (2009). Teaching social issues with film. Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing.v Sosa, T. (2009). Visual Literacy: The Missing Piece of Your Technology Integration Course. Tech Trends, 53(2). 55-58. Retrieved from EBSCO database. Zambo, D. (2009). Using visual literacy to help adolescents understand how images influence their lives. Teaching Exceptional Children41(6) 60-67. Retrieved from EBSCO database.
Abstract
The value of teaching visual literacy to students is reflected in numerous papers in educational literature reporting an increase in comprehension and critical thinking. Being visually literate is having the ability to interpret images, analyze the elements and values of the message and then apply those principles to produce information. This paper provides an introduction to the subject, instructional strategies for implementation and methods of using technology to support the teaching of visual literacy in the classroom.
Introduction
In our visual culture, we are being continually bombarded by images, yet our comprehension of the true messages and influences of those images remains rudimentary. The phrase, “a picture is worth a thousand words”, is often used to support the premise that images are invaluable in conveying a message. Teaching students how to read an image, interpret the message and its implications are all elements of learning how to be visually literate (Millum, 2009). The common theme of these articles, as noted by Riesland (2005), is the belief that for students to benefit most from the classroom experience, they must be visually literate. Australia has mandated that visual literacy be included in their curriculum; students need to be conversant in the concepts and language (metalanguage) that helps them communicate regarding images and text (Callow, 2008). As a society, we communicate with images virtually and in actuality. However, at this time, there is little or no classroom instruction for students to understand the messages of pictures or how to communicate effectively in a multimedia framework. A number of instructional strategies, techniques and examples are offered by these authors to integrate visual literacy skills into curriculum including the use of technology as a tool for implementation.
Definition and Use
Visual literacy is a multi-dimensional field of study and as such, has many definitions and goals. Basically, it is a person’s ability to read and understand images and to use them to communicate effectively; it is a competency that can be learned and developed with training. Being able to decode meaning from pictures is as important as learning to read text. Pictures offer a precise meaning and can be used alone to offer instruction or paired with print for a more complete understanding of a subject (Burns, 2006). Roland Barthes (as cited in Millum, 2009, p. 3), believes that each visual comes with one or more of three messages: linguistic, literal opposed to symbolize and connotation or interpretation. Analyzing images using these guidelines can aid students as they begin to study images and their meaning.
Expanding on the sole use of pictures, Gillenwater uses the symbiotic relationship within graphic novels to combat what he terms “print illiteracy” (2009). This format is multimodal, merging text and image to communicate a story and provide a broader learning experience. For the reader to gain a complete understanding of the story, he must merge the two components. This dual coding is suggested to be a better form of teaching reading comprehension to students. For example, a holocaust victim may be visualized differently by each student in a classroom when the book, Night, is read to them, but the photograph of a victim offers definition and clarity.
Although many students know how to create multimedia presentations, most have very little training in the use of tools for creating effective images. The use of good design principles in the classroom will awaken students to the power of visual elements in their products. T. Sosa (2009), a college professor of design, includes the proper use of fonts, layout, balance, displays of word art and other images, color use and appropriate spacing in her lessons. Her article also features examples of good versus poor design, visual awareness and in-depth design principles to create a practical resource for teachers. The rubric is devised to give equal weight to specific design requirements and technological skills. Jefferies (2007), a British educator is also involved in the area of design and the use of screen-based mediums. Her goal was to determine if design students were being taught using the most appropriate visual literacy training for their chosen digital medium. She notes that the use of screen based multimedia tools (as opposed to physical tools) are creating the demand for a new visual skill set. These developments will necessitate the formation of diverse teaching methods that are able to meet the needs of both student learning styles and ever changing communication modes.
Similarly, training is needed in decoding the meaning behind images and symbols used by advertisers to persuade their audience to change a behavior or buy a product. Chung (2005) has created the “AdDeconstruct Project” to teach students how to analyze (cigarette) ads in terms of their overt and perceived messages. Through writing and dialog meetings, they learn to critically view how they are targeted as consumers. Their final project, using Photoshop, is to redesign the ad and present it to the public. Projects such as these help students learn to ‘read’ what advertisers are saying to them and ask important questions (Riesland).
Images used in advertising can also influence teens in how they perceive themselves and construct a basis for their actions. Zambo (2009) maintains that adolescents are vulnerable to inaccurate world views and life experiences as portrayed in images. Her work with students with physical disabilities and the use of visual literacy lessons is designed to encourage them to change their misconceptions. She notes that photographs are “rarely neutral or devoid of social, cultural or political context” and are a key part of a teen’s world (p. 64). Students are led to participate in critical thinking and emotional reflection exercises based on photographs and ad campaigns that are a key part of their world.
Technology Integration
A number of technologies can be utilized to support the instruction of visual literacy. One of the most accessible and student-friendly technologies available for teaching visual literacy is photography. Both Abrahmov (2008), and Palmquist (2008) teach photography because they believe strongly in its value in society as a social and cultural medium. They did however see a need for educating their students in reading and constructing photos in order to more effectively convey a message. Observations, personal responses and evaluations were an ongoing part of both classes. Palmquist used the ad campaigns (such as Dove’s Real Beauty), photo studies and practical tips for using a camera to engage her students and assess critical thinking skills and understanding. Each class member participated in a display of their photos providing measurable results, demonstrating student improvement and how well the theories of visual literacy were combined with the practical aspects of photography.
Trisha Long (2008) created Full Circling, a process to teach history using visual tools. Students are guided through a series of interactions with visuals and then become actively involved by means of their response. Her aim is to have students not only involved intellectually with the subject matter, but also emotionally. Her research has shown that seeing pictures relating to a specific time period or event bring a new dimension to class discussions, encouraging critical thinking and deeper involvement with the lesson. She discovered that as students are invited to become involved with the people they are studying, they will respond with more passion and conviction. This connection will result in more writing and reading on the part of the student. At the end of the study, Long requires a plan of action from the students to convey their understanding and response to ethical conflicts in the lesson. They created diaries, stories, plays, musicals and even a tableau of live actors – all designed to convey what they have internalized from the text and image presented.
Visual tools used with various technologies have been a successful component in Flannery’s (2006) experience teaching biology students. In her article, she divides the available resources for biology teachers into a low-tech or high-tech category. Blogs, digital pictures and video streaming are examples of high-tech tools that are readily available online. For example, teachers can present lessons on genetics using graphics, 2-D and 3-D representations or even a visual environment demonstrating features that words alone could not explain. Low-tech aids can include tables, graphs or charts which still have a valuable place in portraying information. Because the brain stores information in an organized framework consisting of relationships, it is easy to understand and remember maps, timelines and charts (Svinicki as cited in Flannery, p. 301, 2006). One important visual aid that is frequently overlooked as being too simplistic is the tree. When the meaning of the lines and connections is explained, it can be a powerful tool for both teachers and students. Flannery concludes that each visual device has a place in learning and can be used effectively to facilitate student comprehension.
Another exciting technology to use with students is film. In this case, it is the presentation of movies used to engage students in meaningful dialog and encourage them to interact with relevant current issues. In his book, Teaching Social Issues with Film (2009), Dr. William Russell created a practical tool utilizing movies to address social issues. The films and subjects are geared toward Social Studies’ classes, but many could be effectively used in a number of other classes. Using the Russell Model for Film, a teacher will benefit from the questions and suggestions it offers to guide students through a film viewing. The book provides a detailed list of 180 films categorized within 30 different social subjects. A brief synopsis of the film is given and the topic is defined. Film used as the visual starting point of discussion can be instructionally beneficial in many areas: students become wise consumers of media, critical thinking is learned and internalized, proficiency in communication skills increases and students learn how to analyze any image or message.
Conclusion
In the educational arena, textbooks, software and multimedia presentations for students are utilizing more visual elements than ever. Strategies and techniques are available to teachers desiring to incorporate visual literacy into their curriculum. This literature concludes that visual literacy is a skill that encourages critical, analytical thinking as well as improved ability in creating and communicating messages, both visual and written. It supports a model of visual literacy comprised of multiple dimensions, each being a field of research within itself, and each contributing to the individual’s global ability to interpret images accurately. Educators will enhance their communication with students by becoming more proficient in using available technologies for visual instruction that recognizes these principles of visual literacy. Likewise, students themselves will learn more efficiently as they also become proficient in reading visual images embedded in instructional materials and communicating through multimedia tools.
References
Abrahmov, S., & Ronen, M. (2008). Double blending: online theory with on-campus practice in photography instruction. Innovations in Education and Teaching International, 45(1), 3-14. Retrieved from Research Library. (Document ID: 1480083451).
Avgerinou, M. (2009). Re-viewing visual literacy in the “bain d’ images” era. TechTrends, (53), 2, 28-34. Retrieved from Ebsco Host.
Burns, M. (2006). A Thousand Words: Promoting Teachers’ Visual Literacy Skills. MultiMedia & Internet Schools, 13(1), 16-20. Retrieved from Ebsco Host.
Callow, J. (2008). Show me: principles for assessing students’ visual literacy. The Reading Teacher, 61 . (8), 616-620, 622-626. Retrieved from Research Library. (Document ID: 1474543421).
Chung, S.K. (2005). Media/Visual Literacy Art Education: Cigarette Ad Deconstruction. Art Education. 58(3). 19-25. Retrieved from ProQuest database.
DeAbreu, B. (2008). Seventh grade students and the visual messages they love. Knowledge Quest. (36)3, 34-39.
Farmer, L.. (2007). I see, I do, persuasive messages and visual literacy. Multimedia & Internet@Schools. 14(4), 30-33.
Flannery, M. (2006). Thinking in pictures. American Biology Teacher. 68(5), 299-303.
Gillenwater, C., (2009). Lost literacy: how graphic novels can recover visual literacy in the literacy classroom. Afterimage, 37(2), 33-36. Retrieved from Academic Search Complete.
Jeffries, E. (2007). Devising a method for improving design education of digital visual skills. Journal of Visual Literacy, (27)1. 123-138.
Long, T., (2008). The full circling process: Leaping into the ethics of history using critical visual literacy and arts-based activism. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 51(60), 498-508. Retrieved from Research Library. (Document ID: 1442013881).
Millum, T. (2009) Making sense of pictures: a beginner’s guide to teaching visual images. English Drama Media 14, 37-42.
Palmquist, N. (2008). Creating images to understand visual literacy. Knowledge Quest. 36(3), 20-23.
Riesland, E. (2005). Visual literacy and the classroom. New Horizons for Learning, Spring, 2005. Retrieved from: http://www.newhorizons.org/strategies/literacy/riesland.htm
Russell, W. B. (2009). Teaching social issues with film. Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing.v
Sosa, T. (2009). Visual Literacy: The Missing Piece of Your Technology Integration Course. Tech Trends, 53(2). 55-58. Retrieved from EBSCO database.
Zambo, D. (2009). Using visual literacy to help adolescents understand how images influence their lives. Teaching Exceptional Children 41(6) 60-67. Retrieved from EBSCO database.